How to accept cards in your taxi.

We often know how much something will cost us before we decide to purchase it, but that isn’t always the case for a taxi ride. Having the right amount of cash to hand is usually a rarity, or spot of good luck. 

Now, with fewer people carrying cash and the rise of prepaid transport services such as Uber and Lyft, it's both essential and a legal requirement in most major cities, for taxis to accept contactless card payments. 

But what do you need to make it effortless for you, and your customers? It's simple – a mobile card machine that is always connected, no matter where you roam. 

How do I take payments with a card machine in my taxi?

Card machines require internet connections to process payments. So when you’re out and about, you’ll need to ensure that it can operate on the road with you. 

This can be achieved with card readers that offer mobile connectivity, such as 3G or 4G. The Dojo Go has an activated SIM card and allows you to process payments on the move. 

You’ll also need a card machine that accepts contactless and all major credit and debit cards, such as Visa, Mastercard and American Express.

Dojo card machines accept all of these, as standard. Our card machines for small businesses and enterprises are ready to accept digital contactless payment methods too, such as Google, Apple and Samsung Pay – so your customers can tap at their leisure.

What type of card machine is best for taxis and cabs?

Stop and start should be kept to traffic lights – not card machines. As a taxi driver, you'll be exploring new places and familiar ones – but the one thing that remains is that you'll always need access to connectivity, so your customers can pay at their end destination.

Mobile card machines are the most suitable for taxis and cabs, as they can connect with both Wi-Fi and 3G/4G to process a transaction. 

What is a mobile card machine?

A mobile card machine allows you to take card payments wherever you are, without the need to connect to a Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. It's different from a portable card machine, which is able to move around a single location but relies on a Wi-Fi connection within a certain radius. 

Dojo mobile card machines, such as the Dojo One, can be used with both Wi-Fi or 3G/4G, depending on where you are.

The benefits of mobile card machines for taxis 

Whether it’s a 5am airport run, or a 3am club pickup, we understand that taxi drivers are behind the wheel, around the clock. There’s not much time to dilly-dally either, so you'll need a reliable card machine. The Dojo Go has up to 10-hours of battery life, so it's with you for the night-shift.

And when you accept card payments in your taxi with Dojo, you'll get access to your funds the very next day with next-day transfers, for no additional cost.

That means we'll transfer your card takings into your business account from 10am each day, putting you back in control of your cash flow. 

Ready, set go.

Signing up is easy. Once you’ve been approved for a Dojo card machine for your taxi, you’ll usually be sent your reader within three working days. Setting up your card reader is straightforward. Once you’ve turned it on, your machine will give you step-by-step instructions on your screen. 

But don’t worry if you’re new to technology – we’ve got a support team on hand from Monday-Saturday to guide you through the process. If that doesn’t do the trick, we can even log on to your machine with remote assistance and fix any technical issues for you.

How much does it cost to take card payments in my taxi?

The Dojo Go mobile card machine is ideal for taxis and itself costs as little as £25 per month and includes:

• Next-day transfers – We'll transfer your card takings for the previous day into your account from 10am the next day. Yes, even on weekends and bank holidays.
• Remote assistance – If you hit a bump in the road, we can log in to your machine and get things fixed again 
• Point-to-point encryption – It's the most rigorous standard of security on the market, and makes PCI compliance a doddle 
• Access to the Dojo app – Track and monitor all of your transaction data, in real-time with the Dojo dashboard available as a mobile app, or on your browser 
• Card machine replacement typically within 24-hours – If we can't fix your machine, we'll get a new one to you within 24 working-hours

Your card processing fees will depend on the number of transactions that you take. This will be a bespoke quote tailored for your business in order to give you the best rates and services. 

What about tipping?

Satisfied customers will often give their taxi driver a tip as a token of appreciation. This is still true for customers who pay on card and with our card machines you can input tip amounts as a percentage or customisable figure.

Why accept taxi card payments with Dojo?

It's never been easier to accept card payments in your taxi. When you sign up with Dojo you don't just get access to a card machine, you get reliable human support and easier access to cash flow with next-day transfers, all when you switch to us from another provider. 

So if you want the tools to help make running a business, that bit easier, get your online quote today.